


A Carefully Woven Web

by Sybil_Silverphoenix



Series: Steve's POV for 'Heroes and Villains' [3]
Category: Avengers
Genre: Avengers and Hydra play 'Hide n Seek', Avengers are infiltrated, Multi, Spy Intrigue, Steve is clueless (but not completely cuz he does notice the little things though)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 11:21:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6077469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sybil_Silverphoenix/pseuds/Sybil_Silverphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yelena Belova, the Pale Spider, is the only other Black Widow to survive the Destruction of the Red Room. Her skills are a prefect match to Natasha Romanoff's... It's just too bad she is working for Hydra.</p><p>And now, after a joint team of Avengers and X-Men have taken out the Latverian Hydra base, Yelena has disguised herself as Natasha... and is deep inside enemy territory.</p><p>As Yelena spins her careful webs of deceit, how will Earth's Mightiest Heroes fare against the traitor in their midst? For once this finely woven web is lain, all shall find themselves ensnared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lines are anchored

**Author's Note:**

> This is set hot on the heels of my 'Siege Tactics' fic... so if you are curious to know what has happened to Natasha... then you'll find the answer there.
> 
> This fic also runs parallel to my Spider-Man fic 'Tangled Webs'.... there are points of interception between the two... but you don't have to read that fic if you don't want to (unless you are curious about what is up with Spider-Man that is ;) )
> 
> One other little tidbit... I envision Natalie Dormer as Yelena Belova :)
> 
> Otherwise, I do hope you enjoy this tale and feedback is appreciated :)

The quinjet lands in the ‘garage’ high up in Avengers Tower with ease and finesse… thanks to Clint Barton’s piloting skills and as he shuts the engines off, he says…

“Thank you for flying Avengers Air… we know your choice of superhero airlines is limited to this quinjet-”

“Speak for yourself, Flightless Bird!” Sam shouts from the back with a wide grin on his dark face. Everyone smiles and chuckles as they unbuckle and stand.

“Will the dick with wings who chose not to use them, please keep his comments to himself.” Clint then says continuing in his airliner pilot’s voice. He then looks back with his own grin as he removes his headphones and unbuckles from the pilot seat.

“Play nice you two!” Steve admonishes sounding like a stern father though he smirks and shakes his head. Team building at its finest. Steve then hits the button to open the back ramp and lower it. “Like a bunch of kids sometimes, I swear.” He then adds under his breath and Natasha smiles as she passes him out and hurries down the ramp. She looks about studying every angle of the hangar bay in Avengers Tower with her blue eyes as she waits for the others to catch up.

“I hope Stark has some grub for us… I am famished.” Sam says as he exits the quinjet with his jetpack on his shoulders. Natasha (or rather Yelena Belova in disguise) eyes the flyer and her Captain as they exit the quinjet.

“You and me both.” Steve says and his stomach growls in protest. “This high metabolism can be a real pain in the gut sometimes.” The super soldier says and chuckles.

“Did you attempt to crack some humor there?” Clint says as he hurries down the ramp behind the other two men. “Cause I hate to break it to ya, Cap… but that was a lame attempt.”

“Hey! I’m funny… when I want to be.” Steve says as he playfully slugs Clint’s shoulder. Clint stumbles a bit from the light blow.

“Ooww! That hurt! I think you broke my arm, Boy Scout!” The Archer says as he over-plays taking the hit… stopping to stand in front of Natasha.

“Quit clowning around boys.” The redhead says a bit annoyed as she shakes her head at them and walks away though Sam chuckles.

“We’re just having a bit of fun, Nat!” Clint calls after her.

“Come on, ya clown.” Sam says as he walks past Clint shouldering his duffle bag.

 

___________

_Ten minutes later…_

 

“Alright… where is it? I wanna see it. Gotta see it. Gimme, gimme, gimme.” Tony says as he comes strutting up to Steve and the others as they exit the elevator coming up from the ‘garage’. Tony is wearing faded jeans and a dark red tee with golden yellow screenprinting of his Iron Man suit mimicking President Obama’s ’08 campaign poster of ‘Change’. It is over a goldenrod yellow long sleeve top that matches the print color.

“Hands off, Stark.” Steve says as he personally carries the case containing the Scepter that Loki used just two years ago to mind-control Barton and Dr. Selvig as well as attack the Earth with. “No one is touching this thing.”

“Why not?” Tony asks with a petulant pout to his face.

“Thor’s going to be taking this damned thing back to Asgard so his father can lock it up permanently. End of discussion.” Steve replies and looks around. “Is Thor back from Asgard yet?” Steve then asks as he looks around for the taller blonde male.

“Yep… then he left again after helping out with a little bank trouble. Said something about needing to see Jane and that it could be around a week before he gets back. So… how’s about lettin’ me have a little peek?” Tony says and a new look of hope glimmers in his chocolate-colored eyes. Steve frowns at the billionaire.

“No.” Steve says knowing what that look entails. He then walks away.

“Oh, come on!” Tony huffs out as he hurries to follow. “I won’t get another chance to scan it… and pick at it… and learn from it.”

“So you can make some new fangled weapon based off it? I don’t think so.” Steve says and makes it to the elevator.

“I swear to god, I won’t make a weapon based off of whatever I learn from studying this piece of alien tech… now can I, please… pretty please… study it… with a cherry on top?” Tony then pleads. It is the closest Steve has ever seen Tony come to begging. This is super rare… like seeing a vivid double rainbow… or a unicorn… such a rare expression from Tony deserves the proper response…

“No.” Steve says sternly as he eyes Tony… “Besides… we both know you don’t believe in God.” Steve adds and emphasizes with a lift of his eyebrows to the well-funded inventor… and with that the elevator doors to the apartment levels close between them.

 

___________

Yelena finds herself moving through the Avengers Tower in her disguise as Natasha… not aimlessly of course. No… she has a destination and a goal set… locate Doctor Bruce Banner and subtly suggest him to encourage Tony Stark into studying Loki’s Scepter.

She soon locates Bruce in the state-of-the-art medical lab just below the Apartment floors. He is busy meeting with a brilliant bio-chemist, Dr. Helen Cho, from South Korea’s foremost medical R&D facility… U-Gin Genetics Infinite Labs. She has designed and (with the help of funding and a production team from Stark Industries) built a revolutionary new device that will advance the field of medicine exponentially… it is a bed-sized apparatus that uses a similar concept to the three dimensional printing process… only instead of models, this device can regenerate damaged tissues, organs, and even lost limbs. It has been dubbed ‘The Cradle’ by Dr. Cho even though Tony calls it ‘The Coffin’ under his breath (to which Bruce has elbowed his rich friend in the ribs for a time or two).

But as the super spy approaches silently and unseen hiding behind one of three bookshelves located along one wall in the lab, she notes how the conversation currently flowing between the two scientific minded individuals isn’t one related to any of their studied fields of interest… but rather of a field far older and far trickier to navigate… dating. Yelena listens closely for anything that she can use at a later date in order to press an advantage.

“Dr. Cho-um-Helen.” Bruce starts and quickly corrects his professional slip to make his next words more personal. Yelena can hear the hitching of the Korean woman’s breath before the question is even asked… indicating that she has been expecting this for some time now. “Would you like to go out for dinner… tonight… with me?” Bruce then asks a bit nervously. Yelena smirks noting how easy it would be to seduce the shabby looking Dr. Banner.

“Yes, that would be wonderful, Bruce.” Helen replies and Yelena can hear the smile in the woman’s voice.

“Excellent! And it is about time you two.” Come’s another woman’s voice as she approaches the pair. Yelena’s bright blue eyes narrow… she has no intel on this woman. “If I might make a suggestion… there’s this wonderful Greek place here in Midtown called ‘Grecopoli’. They make the best chicken gyros… and their baklava is heavenly.” This blonde, young woman says really selling the place to the two scientists. _‘A Personal Assistant, perhaps?’_ Yelena thinks as she watches the trio through the slim places between the books on the shelf before her as she remains undetected.

“That sounds perfect.” Helen says happily.

“Then it’s settled… we’ll head out around 8.” Bruce says to Helen then he looks to the blonde woman. “Do they take reservations?” He asks her.

“I’ll call them in.” The young woman says with a grin as she pulls out her cellphone and starts dialing then turns and walks away leaving the pair alone.

“I’m just going to go and finish talking to Pepper and Tony then get ready.” Helen says with a smile and tucks a flyaway strand of her black hair behind her ear. She gives the rumpled scientist an interested look before turning and walking away. Bruce is left standing there alone with a smile on his face. _‘Time to work.’_ Yelena thinks as she slinks from her hiding place and approaches the distracted Dr. Banner.

“Sooo… big date tonight?” Yelena asks with Natasha’s husky voice from behind and Bruce is startled causing him to jump a little.

“Whoa… Natasha… you gotta watch doing that. You’re lucky I have a handle on when the Hulk comes out… I don’t want a repeat of what happened on the Heli-carrier… for both our sakes.” Bruce says with some concern and a touch of nervousness as he turns to look at the beautiful redhead.

“I definitely could do without a repeat of that.” The super spy says as she nods her head in agreement… then looks up turning her large, blue eyes to the rumpled scientist. “I came down to check on you as well as let you know that we brought something important back from the recent joint mission that we ran with the X-Men.” The redhead then says and she notes the sudden shift in his eyes as they focus squarely upon her now… Bruce’s curiosity has been piqued.

“What is it?” Bruce then asks curiously and Yelena smiles slyly.

“Nah-uh… if you want to know… go talk to Tony. In fact, you and he may find mutual interest in the object.” The super spy says casually as she starts to turn away. “And this didn’t come from me… you’ll understand later.” She finishes and walks off leaving Bruce’s mind reeling now.

The Pale Spider smirks as she slowly builds her web of intrigue. Soon the seeds of discord will be thoroughly planted and she can sit back and enjoy the show before she completes her mission.

 

___________

“Dammit all!” Tony cusses and shakes his head. He wants to study that Scepter _sooo_ fucking badly. “Fuckin’ tech-blockin’ Boy Scout.” Tony mutters out with a scowl as he struts to his new bar. It is long and sleekly modern looking. He snags himself the first bottle of liquor his hand touches… Patron tequila. Tony pops open the cork and chugs down a large mouthful.

“Whoa! Easy there Richie Rich.” Sam says as he approaches with hands raised in a show of non-threat. “Ya know he’s only doin’ what he’s doin’ to keep ya safe, right?” Sam then says as he leans against the new countertop which is a luminous white and feels like glass.

“Screw that. He’s not my dad.” Tony says heatedly as he downs some more of the tequila. He grimaces as he swallows and puts the thick square-bottomed bottle down hard on the countertop.

“That’s true… but that is a piece of alien technology that we know next to nothing about-”

“It has mind-control powers.” Clint says gruffly as he passes and gives a pointed look to Tony for even thinking of wanting to study that damnably evil thing.

“Yeah? Well you’re okay now, William Tell." Tony quips a touch bitterly to the Archer who just walks on pulling his cellphone out. Tony takes another pull from the bottle. The billionaire then looks back at the new guy to the team. “Seriously though… if I could just study it for a day or two, I could figure out how to replicate that barrier so we can enhance our defenses.”

“While that is a worthy idea to study it, Tony… the temptation to make a new weapon is there as well.” Sam then counters. Tony rolls his eyes at those words.

“God, you sound just like him now.” Tony says and takes another pull.

“What’s going on?” Bruce asks as he approaches the bar eyeing Tony drink and Sam shaking his head at the billionaire.

“Tony’s havin’ an off day.” Sam supplies to Bruce.

“Drinkin’ my sorrows away.” Tony then says ignoring Sam’s commentary of the situation. Bruce sighs then looks pointedly at his boss and friend.

“Is it because of what Steve and the others brought back from the Xavier Institute?” Bruce then asks. Tony slams the bottle down on the bar’s countertop.

“Yeah!” Tony says and huffs then shakes his head and presses his clenched fists to the countertop. “That Boy Scout won’t let me have a look-see at Loki’s Scepter.” Tony then adds as he looks off beyond the two in front of him.

“Wait! What? Loki’s Scepter?!” Bruce says as fear and surprise mix upon his face. “We’ve got to get that thing into a containment unit at once and lock it away!” Tony’s own eyes light up as an opportunity now presents itself.

“I’m with ya, Bruce!” Tony says as he hops/rolls over the bar trying for a Dukes of Hazard approach… he just manages to fall flat on his face on the other side. “I’m okay! I’m okay!” Tony chants as Sam tries to help him up… but Tony refuses the aid. He then takes a few steps and feels a sprain. “Aww, shit! I’m not okay.”

“Maybe you should leave that sort of thing to the-” Sam starts as he helps Tony walk a little further… but Tony holds up a hand and ‘tut’s at him.

“It is in your best interest not to finish that sentence… for I swear if you say ‘leave it to a younger crowd’ I will kick you out of my tower for calling me old.” Tony then says seriously.

“I was gonna say… ‘leave that sorta thing to the more physically fit’ but you seem hell bent on labeling yourself old.” Sam says with a grin.

“You sneaky little bugger.” Tony says up to Sam with a shake of his head.

“I’m not the one that’s little here.” Sam says as they approach the elevator where Bruce is waiting.

"Wait... is that a jab at my height now?" Tony says as he looks to Sam once they are in the elevator. Sam just chuckles and shakes his head as the doors close and soon the three of them are off for a chat with the good Captain.

 

___________

Yelena enters Natasha’s apartment and smiles as she sees Steve’s Captain America Uniform is draped over the back of the couch at the moment. She wanders around taking her time looking at the various books on her rival’s wall length bookshelf as she moves into the Black Widow’s personal space… this is now HER space… or at least it is until her mission is over.

She can hear the shower running down the hall and so she makes her way in that direction as soon as she hears it cut off. She looks down the slight curve of the apartment’s hallway and notes the bathroom door is still shut so she enters the bedroom. She notices the clothes he was wearing are in a line towards the bathroom door in her bedroom. Soon that door opens and in walks Steve with nothing on but a white towel clinging low on his hips.

She just turns around to face him with a sexy smirk as she removes her jacket then unzips her jeans. Steve’s bright blue eyes are locked on the skin that is exposed as she removes her clothes until she is wearing only her black lacey panties and matching bra. Steve crosses the distance and pulls the redhead into a fierce kiss. His fingers just manage to unclasp her bra when suddenly there is a knock on the door.

“JARVIS tell whoever it is to come back later.” Steve says with a groan as he looks up at the ceiling.

“I am sorry, Steve… it is important that Dr. Banner speak with you at once.” JARVIS replies. “And my protocols are being overridden. I advise that you both dress at once.” The AI says before his voice cuts off and the front door opens.

“Steve! Steve!” Comes Bruce’s near-panicked voice from the living room area.

“Dammit.” Steve swears under his breath as he quickly grabs the clean pair of jeans he set out on the bed before showering. Yelena grabs a robe and throws it on just as Steve grabs a white tee before leaving the bedroom.

“This is a really bad time, Bruce.” Steve says sternly as he pulls the tee on and walks over to Bruce, Tony, and Sam. Steve notices the panicked look in Bruce’s brown eyes… the drunken look that Tony is sporting… and poor Sam looks like he just wants to be somewhere else right now.

“Oh thank goodness.” Bruce says as he approaches Steve… the scientist doesn’t even notice the Captain dressing or the fact that Natasha is hanging back in the hallway of her apartment… in a robe! Tony does.

“Whoa! Were you about to get laid?” Tony queries with a smirk as Sam leaves him leaning against the back of the couch for now. Steve sighs and turns his head from Tony… a light blush colors the super soldier’s cheeks. “Hey, Bruce… we have done this man a disservice. Let’s come back later and bug him after he buries his bone.”

“Tony! This is important.” Bruce argues and frowns at the buzzed billionaire. He then turns to Steve. “We need to put that Scepter in a containment unit to block its influence… or it could compromise all of us.” Bruce then says.

“I’ve got it locked up and secured right now.” Steve retorts feeling a little aggravated at this intrusion and lecture he is getting.

“That’s just it! It isn’t secure.” Bruce says very concerned then sighs and looks down as he collects his thoughts. His brown eyes then turn up to look Steve’s dead on. “Remember the Heli-carrier? Remember how it influenced me?” Steve’s jaw clenches at that. He had heard what had happened after Engine 3 exploded. The Hulk was unleashed… and Natasha got hurt. “If it hadn’t been for Thor… Hulk would’ve killed.” _…Natasha…_ Bruce says and leaves the unspoken name hanging in the air. Steve releases a shaky sigh.

“Alright.” Steve says and walks briskly away. He soon returns with an elongated case and gives it to Bruce. “Don’t let Tony poke and prod at it.” Steve says and Bruce agrees to that. Steve lets go of the case’s handle then and walks away to Natasha. He hugs the distant looking redhead and kisses her head as the others leave… Tony whines about not getting the chance to unlock its secrets.

“It’s okay.” Steve says as he holds Yelena to his chest. She plays her part as Natasha well… very well… and she enjoys it. She presses her face to Steve’s chest and smirks ever so slightly at how things are unfolding perfectly according to plan.

 _‘Now to finish Phase 2… so Phase 3 can start.’_ Yelena thinks as she nestles into Steve’s side and smirks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes with Chapter 5 of my Tangled Webs Spider-man fic.

_8:00 pm_ _… Avengers Tower…_

 

With Bruce Banner out on a date with Helen Cho… Yelena decides it is time to take a look-see in the sample fridge and take note of what samples the good doctor has taken, if any, of Steve Rogers.

Then suddenly, Yelena notices the small red light on a security camera is off. And if it wasn’t her doing… then who’s? This has suddenly become far more interesting. Especially since a disrupt to the systems like this can only be done from the inside thanks to Stark’s superior firewall systems. Yelena knows this has a limited window of opportunity… so she hurries to the Med-lab.

And what does she find… but Dr. Banner’s studious little personal assistant with her head in the sample fridge fishing out a large vial. Yelena smirks and approaches silently, just how she was taught to do. She watches as Felicity places the vial inside something… Yelena can’t see exactly what… but she would bet good money on it being a storage device.

“What are you doing?” Yelena asks in Natasha Romanoff’s voice as she catches the door to the sample fridge. Felicity looks up a bit startled at the redheaded woman.

“I was putting a sample away for Dr. Banner. He was very specific about the time frame for it.” Felicity says as she shuts the door then turns away keeping her prize close.

“What’s that in your hand?” Yelena presses and looks to the other woman’s hands and the object they hold.

“Oh? This? It’s my favorite scent… lilac and lavender.” Felicity says holding the bottle up for inspection then sprays some on her wrist. “Want a spray?”

“No, thanks.” Yelena says then walks away casually. She watches from the shadows as the young woman, Felicity, sighs silently then makes her way out of the Med-lab… she disappears into a supply closet and Yelena just waits for her to reemerge. When she does… Yelena notices that the young woman has removed her disguise.

Instead of looking like a drab, mousy PA… Felicity has disappeared and in her place is this new woman… dressed in a skin tight black outfit with a black mask over her eyes and long white hair cascading down her shoulders. This newly revealed woman makes her way to the large floor-to-ceiling windows. Yelena watches as this woman makes a quick hole in the glass then uses the specialized shooter on her left forearm to throw out a drop line of Oscorp nanoline (which is the same webbing that Spider-man was getting from the company). She then repels from the balcony and makes it to the ground. Once there… she disappears into the streets.

 _‘Mmm… interesting.’_ Yelena thinks as she looks out the hole. She then hurries to the Med-lab and pulls out a vial sample marked ‘Rogers’. She tucks it into her wrist gauntlets as she stands.

“I am detecting a breech in one of the windows on the Med-lab level. Is everything alright, Miss Romanoff?” JARVIS asks about a minute later.

“No… there was an intruder. I believe she made off with some blood samples. Send a Security detail now.” Yelena says moving back into her role as Natasha Romanoff expertly. She heads towards the window with the hole and waits.

 

___________

After all the questions and yet more questions… Yelena heads down to Natasha’s apartment. She puts her thumb to the security pad and it unlocks thanks to the special false prints she is wearing.

Once inside, the Super Spy moves to the bathroom where she knows there are no cameras. She then readies the shower water and prepares to step in. Before she does though… Yelena opens a drawer and pulls out a canister of shaving cream she had picked up in the hours following ‘Natasha’s’ return to the Tower.

She unscrews the bottom without making any obvious noises… and places the vial of Rogers’ blood inside. The canister will keep the sample preserved for roughly two days tops. She will have to take this ‘package’ and drop it off to a waiting ‘agent’ as soon as possible… preferably within the next couple of hours.

This one vial of the American Icon’s blood will certainly expand Hydra’s research into the making of Super Soldiers. Yelena smiles to herself as she removes her nanomask and hides it. She steps into the hot shower and lets the torrid water flow over her body. Everything is going smoothly and to plan… she has manipulated various members of the Avengers team, gathered intel on ALL of them, and she has managed to collect the Holy Grail for her organization… plus, there is the added bonus of sleeping with one of the most gorgeous men the typically blonde Russian woman has ever laid eyes upon.

She lathers up a lufa and soaps up. Her free hand slides down her toned stomach and settles at the juncture between her thighs. She begins to flick at her most sensitive flesh until she finds release at the thought of Captain Rogers’s tongue doing her fingers work.

An hour later Yelena is out of the Tower under the semblance of doing a little shopping as Natasha. As soon as Yelena finds a hide point for ‘Natasha’, she changes quickly, dons a blonde wig, and walks out with no mask. She then texts her contact and sets up a drop. It takes place in the southern part of Central Park.

Yelena has the disguised canister in a small purse. She sits down at a park bench and sets the small bag on the ground under the bench just behind her feet as she texts her contact the GPS coordinates. She relaxes for several minutes watching the scenery as she sips at her cappuccino… even snapping a few pics with her smartphone… then an average looking blonde woman approaches alone. She is dressed for jogging and stops very close to the bench and takes her pulse. She then sits down next to Yelena who just smiles then stands and leaves. A minute passes and the jogger reaches down to retrieve the bag the Pale Spider left behind.

 

___________

_The Next Morning…_

 

“The infiltrator that froze the security systems last night was good.” Maria Hill starts as she briefs everyone in the secured War Room.

“Well, that’s just great.” Tony starts as he nurses his steaming cup of jove. “I update all of my systems, hire the best of the best, and on top of all that… even with Natasha here… we still get it in the ass.” Tony exasperates then looks to Natasha. “No offence.” He quickly adds to the red head.

“None taken.” Natasha says deadpanned. She then cocks a brow as she looks down at her StarkSlate tablet. “I did discover something of interest in the metadata from the program files used by the infiltrator.” Natasha starts then flicks the desired files from her device to appear in the hologram at the center of the conference table. Some stacked files appear there and she scrolls through them.

“Looks like this infiltrator works for Hydra… and they left a few breadcrumbs behind.” Natasha says as she selects a file and suddenly an image of the globe appears. “Looks like we got a few leads on their operations… a few GPS coordinates for now.”

“Hydra bases?” Steve asks as his eyes narrow in on the nine dots scattered around the planet. The closet one is in the southwestern corner of Utah. The next closet is in the heart of Brazil located deep in the Amazon jungle in the State of Para. Then there’s one in Bolivia to the north east of La Paz. There’s one in Cairo, Egypt… another in Mogadishu, Somalia… one in Iran near Tehran… another in Bangkok, Thailand… one in the mountains of Bhutan… one in Pyongyang, North Korea… and finally (and surprisingly) there’s one in Adelaide, Australia.

“Maybe… only one way to know.” Natasha replies. “We have to check out all of them.”

“We do know that the Utah one is a Cybertech facility and the Government has a special opts team striking today.” Maria Hill states as she taps on her tablet and the globe image expands to close in on the dot in Utah. “It’s Hydra for sure. The intel is highly credible… and they could certainly use some Avengers help since Hydra is using the latest attempt in their pursuit of Super Soldiers.” Maria then brings up some images of men with strange devices on their forearms that glow yellow.

“Project Centipede uses these devices to inject their super soldier serum into the subject… it gives them strength on par with Steve’s, increases their endurance and stamina exponentially, and until recently it was unstable… due to it being originally derived from the Extremis formula.” Tony perks up at that.

“They figured out how to stabilize it?” Tony then asks.

“Yeah and their leader, John Garret, a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent used it to further enhance himself.”

“What do you mean by _further enhance_?” Steve then asks carefully.

“Well… Garret was part of an old program to enhance soldiers through robotics as well as through biochemistry.” Maria starts and pulls up files on Garret and one titled Project Deathlock. She then sighs as she sees the look on Steve’s face. “Basically, he’s a cyborg. Part man, part machine.” Steve’s eyebrows shot up at that. Tony rolls his dark eyes and huffs as Maria shows them the schematics on the Deathlock subjects… particularly the ones for Garret’s enhancements.

“So, let me guess, the Government wants us there to make sure Terminator doesn’t rack up a big body count?” Tony starts as he leans forward in his chair. “And… contain him if need be?” Tony then adds and leans back in his chair. “I’m right, ya know I’m right.” The billionaire adds smugly. Everyone just stares or glares at Tony in their own way for a second.

“It would be in the people of the US’s best interests if the Avengers were there to assist in this Hydra takedown.” Maria then states smoothly. The only tension seen is in the clench of her jaw once finished.

“Alright, everyone… we head out asap.” Steve says in his Captain’s voice as he stands from his chair. Everyone follows suit. Tony, though, is the last to stand.

“Go ahead and start out without me.” Tony says as he looks at his expansive watch. Steve eyes his teammate closely.

“Got a more important meeting?” Steve jests lightly.

“Yeah, the kid is late.” Tony says as he looks around the office space then out the windows.

“Kid?” Steve asks curious as to whom Tony is referring to.

“Parker… Pete… _spider-man_ …” Tony says whispering the last. Realization lights up Steve’s face.

“Oh yeah… Peter.” Steve says and smiles remembering his testing of the kid’s strength and agility yesterday afternoon. “He’s a good kid.”

“Yeah… and someone has to hold down the fort while we’re away.” Tony says then sighs. “It just irks me that he’s almost always late.”

 

___________

As everyone is getting ready, Tony and Bruce find themselves hanging out away from the hustle and bustle in Tony’s lab.

“So… last night…” Tony starts out and waggles his eyebrows at Bruce.

“I should’ve used a sample cooler with a biometric lock.” Bruce apologizes as his shoulders slump.

“Not that… though I am just as surprised to find out that your cutie patootie assistant was a sleeper.” Tony corrects his science bro. “I’m talking about you, Mister, going out on a date… with a certain south Korean doctor.” Tony then says and waggles his eyebrows once more.

“Oh… _that_.” Bruce says surprised at first but then scratches the back of his neck as he looks away from his rich friend.

“Yeah, that.” Tony then says with a grin. “Did you slide into home? Or get to second base at least, man?” Tony then pesters his friend. Bruce looks a bit affronted but quickly blushes as he realizes just what it is that Tony is referring to.

“Tony. That’s private…” Bruce says in a harsh whisper. “Besides… I don’t kiss and tell.” The scientist then gives Tony a pointed look over the frame of his glasses.

“So you _did_ get some action.” Tony states with a grin.

“What’s going down?” Spider-man asks as he enters and sees the two Avengers talking.

“Good for you finally getting some, big guy.” Tony says with a smirk to Bruce then turns to the Wall-crawler. Bruce just shakes his head and walks away. “What’s going down… you ask, Itsy Bitsy? Hmm… it turns out we got some excellent intel earlier this morning about a suspected Hydra operation and now it is cleared for go… and the Avengers have been called in.” Tony answers.

“Sweet! Can I come help since Thor isn’t back yet? He IS still gone, right?” Spidey asks hopeful and trepidatiously. Tony looks around as he slings an arm around Spider-man’s narrow shoulders.

“Well, that’s the thing… I have a special mission just for you.” Tony says in a near-whisper. He’s got the kid right where he wants him…

“Ooo… I like special missions.” Spider-man says excitedly in a hushed tone. Oh yeah, definitely where he wants him… eager and ready.

“I need you to stay here and keep an eye on things.” Tony says to the teenager. Spider-man stops in his tracks thus slipping out of Tony’s arm. Tony stops and turns to face the masked teen.

“Seriously? You’re leaving me behind… like I’m some kid.” Spider-man says with a huff and shakes his head.

“It’s not like that, Pete.” Tony starts with hands raised non-threateningly. “And technically… to me… you are still just a kid…” _Man, I’m old._ “But it’s just that what with these new crazy, bad guys running around here in New York… well, we need someone to stay behind and keep things from falling to shit while we’re away.” Tony goes for sounding as sincere as possible but Spider-man just crosses his arms over his lean chest.

“Ok… check this out… just in case things get too crazy… you’ll have this as a back-up plan.” Tony says and pulls out his high tech Starkphone. After punching in the passcode… the ceiling opens up and down comes a new Iron man suit… or rather an _Iron Spider_ suit. It is all red with gold webbing designs and a gold spider logo on the chest… and what looks to be a gold pack on the back with two legs going over the shoulders and the lower two going around the waist.

“Whoa.” Spidey says under his breath as he slowly uncrosses his arms and moves to get a closer look.

“Yeah… well… I wasn’t going to give you this until Christmas… but plans change. So… Merry Christmas.” Tony says with a smile to Spider-man.

“Man, I-I don’t know what to say. Thanks!” Spidey says finally and turns to hug Tony hard. Tony pats Spider-man on the shoulder and the back… then more urgently as his need for air takes over.

“Whew… you hug like Thor.” Tony says after he is let go and given a shy apology. Tony then gestures between himself and Spidey, “So… we good?”

“Yeah.” Spider-man says happily and nods his head.

“Good. Now… no wild parties while the grown-ups are gone.” Tony then says as he makes a pulling gesture and pieces of his Mark 43 suit come out and cover him.

“Oh, come on! Like I’m going to pull some stupid teenaged stunt like that. You’ve watched too many Teen Movies, Stark!” Spider-man then says and waves his hands as if gesturing for Iron man to leave. The tinny sounding laugh comes then.

“You’re right… as if Agent Hill would let you get away with such a thing.” Iron man says and then zooms away through an opening to the outside. The thrust propels Stark so fast that he leaves the city behind and enters the upper atmosphere under four minutes. He then blasts off to the west and the replusors burst brighter than ever before sending Iron man towards his destination at Mark One air speed. At this rate, he’s likely to beat the Avengers quinjet to Utah. Tony smirks to himself as he listens to Ozzy Osborn’s song _Crazy Train_.


End file.
